F**k netanyahu..
JERUSALEM: President Donald Trump questioned Israel's interest in making peace with the Palestinians in an interview published Sunday, spotlighting its West Bank settlements as a complicating factor.
In the interview in the Israel Hayom daily, Trump also cast doubt on the Palestinians' desire to strike a deal. But his comments about Israel mark rare criticism from a president who has publicly sparred with the Palestinians while forging warm ties with Israel ahead of the expected presentation of a US peace outline.
"Right now, I would say the Palestinians are not looking to make peace, they are not looking to make peace. And I am not necessarily sure that Israel is looking to make peace. So we are just going to have to see what happens," Trump was quoted as saying. He did not disclose details about the anticipated peace plan.
Israel Hayom is owned by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a Trump backer and a supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the interview, Trump criticized Israel's West Bank settlements, which the Palestinians and most of the international community view as illegal obstacles to peace. The Trump White House has been less publicly critical of Israel's settlement building than previous administrations.
"The settlements are something that very much complicates and always have complicated making peace, so I think Israel has to be very careful with the settlements," he said.
Relations between the US and the Palestinians have spiraled since Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December. Since then he has cut US funding to a UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees and threatened to withhold aid money to the Palestinians unless they resume negotiations with Israel.
The Palestinians, who claim Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as their capital, saw Trump's announcement as unfairly taking sides with Israel. They say the US is not an honest broker and have pre-emptively rejected any peace proposal presented by the Trump administration.
ADD COMMENT
RELATED STORIES
PM Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu bond over kite flying
Benjamin Netanyahu feuds with police chief ahead of probe findings
Benjamin Netanyahu says Mahatma Gandhi an inspiration
'iCreate' needs to be made known to world: Benjamin Netanyahu
NEXT STORY Trump has confidence in Kelly, not seeking replacement: Conway
Congratulations @dimasbagas105! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You made your First Vote
You made your First Comment
You got a First Vote
Award for the number of upvotes
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP
Nice pic friend